Democracy and voting is not this magic bullet. Pure democracies rarely work without the checks and balances our republic is supposed to have in place as well as a complete removal of one religious faith's influence over governmental matters. (note: I said "supposed to" since it appears our own checks and balances are eroding by the day). No matter who the Iraqis elect (and it appears to be headed towards a theocracy), women will be seen as subservient. Blasphemers will probably elicit no sympathy should they be murdered. Parents killing their daughters after they're raped will not be treated as the cold-blooded sadists they truly are.

The only way democracy can truly thrive in environments like that is to have a strong and completely secular government in place. We're simply not seeing that being a possibility in any Arab country right now without the inclusion of brutality keeping down the radical elements and forcing its power against the will of the people.

You're talking about a change of culture here not simply a change of government. Until you start seeing intellectuals become the role models for the public as happened during the times in our own country when we progressed the most, the future looks bleak for real reform in Iraq.

So did voting move Palestine closer to peace and prosperity by putting the violent Hamas sect into power? I truly don't know if they have the potential to mellow and see the light but I wouldn't put money on it.

Art